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Washington State football has four players on All-Pac-12 preseason second team

Washington State Cougars defensive end Brennan Jackson (80) prepares to take the field against OSU before the first half of a college football game on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
By Colton Clark The Spokesman-Review

Four Washington State football players landed on the All-Pac-12 preseason second team when media predictions were announced by the conference Tuesday.

Star edge-rushers Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson were joined by cornerback Chau Smith-Wade and punter Nick Haberer as the Cougs’ representatives on the list.

Jackson, a sixth-year Coug and a fourth-year starter, claimed All-Pac-12 second-team honors last season after recording 41 tackles, 12 tackles for loss – tied for fifth in the conference – and six sacks.

Over 32 career games at WSU, Jackson has posted 107 tackles, 22 TFLs and 11½ sacks. The 6-4, 260-pounder from Temecula, California, earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention recognition in 2020 and 2021.

Stone, another six-year program veteran and fourth-year starter, also captured an all-conference second-team nod last year after logging 34 tackles, four TFLs and two sacks. He tied for second in the Pac-12 with 11 quarterback hits.

The 6-3, 235-pound San Jose native has registered 142 tackles, 20½ TFLs and 11 sacks across 46 games at WSU. He was an all-conference first-teamer in 2021.

Smith-Wade, a junior, emerged as one of the Pac-12’s most consistent defensive backs during the 2022 campaign – his first season as a WSU starter.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Chicago product earned the third-best defensive grade among all Pac-12 cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, and was named to the all-conference honorable mention team after totaling two interceptions, eight pass deflections, 43 tackles and three forced fumbles.

Haberer, a junior, ranked third in the Pac-12 last season in yards per punt (42.4). He averaged 4.13 seconds of hang time – first in the conference and 11th in the country – and was recognized as an All-Pac-12 honorable mention performer.

The Australia native earned freshman All-America honors as a true freshman in 2021 after averaging 42.8 yards per punt.

WSU running back Nakia Watson, safety Jaden Hicks and kicker Dean Janikowski received preseason honorable mentions from the Pac-12’s media members.

Watson, a senior and third-year Coug, was named an All-Pac-12 honorable mention player last season during his first year as a starter. The former Wisconsin tailback finished with 769 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and added 295 receiving yards and four TDs on 30 receptions.

Hicks became WSU’s starting strong safety last year as a redshirt freshman. A 6-foot-3, 210-pounder from Las Vegas, Hicks earned freshman All-America third-team honors from USA Today after recording 76 tackles – second on the team and most among freshmen in the Pac-12 – along with one interception, six pass break-ups and a fumble returned for a touchdown.

Janikowski, who’s been the Cougs’ placekicker for the past two seasons, went 11 of 14 on field-goal attempts last season, with a long of 50 yards. He connected on 40 of 41 PAT attempts. Janikowski took home All-Pac-12 first-team recognition in 2021.

Stone will be in attendance this week at the Pac-12’s media day in Las Vegas, along with quarterback Cameron Ward and coach Jake Dickert. The event begins at 8 a.m. Friday.